Verbs with u, i, and j stems

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The following verbs are all irregular in the preterite and are grouped in 3 different categories according to the irregularity they share in the stem (front part of the infinitive which precedes the endings -ar, -er, and -ir).

“u”-stem verbs: ALL the persons have the vowel “u” in the stem of the preterite.

“i”-stem verbs: ALL the persons have the vowel “i” in the stem of the preterite.

“j”-stem verbs: ALL the persons have the consonant “j” in the stem of the preterite.

Pay careful attention to their conjugations. Notice the stem in the infinitive (in blue), the spelling change in the stem of the preterite (in red), and the endings (in black). Notice that all these verbs share the same endings: -e, -iste, -o, -imos, -isteis, -ieron; with the only exception in the third person plural of the “j”-stem verbs, which omit the i of -ieron.
Also, notice that no accents whatsoever are required!

I. “u”-stem verbs

estar

estuve

estuvimos

(to be)

estuviste

estuvisteis

estuvo

estuvieron

andar

anduve

anduvimos

(to walk)

anduviste

anduvisteis

anduvo

anduvieron

saber

supe

supimos

(to know)

supiste

supisteis

supo

supieron

poner

puse

pusimos

(to put, to place)

pusiste

pusisteis

puso

pusieron

poder

pude

pudimos

(to be able to)

pudiste

pudisteis

pudo

pudieron

tener

tuve

tuvimos

(to have)

tuviste

tuvisteis

tuvo

tuvieron

II. “i”-stem verbs

hacer

hice

hicimos

(to do, to make)

hiciste

hicisteis

hizo

hicieron

querer

quise

quisimos

(to want, to love)

quisiste

quisisteis

quiso

quisieron

vener

vine

vinimos

(to come)

viniste

vinisteis

vino

vinieron

III. “j”-stem verbs

conducir

conduje

condujimos

(to drive)

condujiste

condujisteis

condujo

condujeron

producir

produje

produjimos

(to produce)

produjiste

produjisteis

produjo

produjeron

traducir

traduje

tradujimos

(to translate)

tradujiste

tradujisteis

tradujo

tradujeron

traer

traje

trajimos

(to bring)

trajiste

trajisteis

trajo

trajeron

decir

dije

dijimos

(to say, to tell)

dijiste

dijisteis

dijo

dijeron

Note 1: Notice the spelling change in the third person singular of hacer; it is not “hico” but “hizo, ” to maintain the same sound than the other forms. Remember that before vowels a, o, u, we use “z;” and before vowels i, e, we use “c.” For example: zapato, cereza, ciruela, zorro, zumo.

Note 2:The verb decir has been grouped under the “j”-stem verbs, but notice that this verb also undergoes another spelling change, namely, the “e” in the stem of the infinitive changes to “i” in te stem of the preterite.

Note 3: In Latin America, the verb used for to drive is manejar; conducir is only used in Spain. The preterite of manejar is: manejé, manejaste, manejó, manejamos, manejaron (all its forms are regular).